Half A Sixpence by David Heneker & Beverley Cross
after HGWells
Cameron Mackintosh/Chichester Festival Theatre
co-production
Noel Coward Theatre, London
“a stonking riot of a musical”
This current reworking of the old classic musical, famously
starring Tommy Steele on film, has been given a new lease of life by Cameron
Mackintosh and the Chichester Festival Theatre by bringing in Julian Fellowes
to rewrite the book and Stiles & Drewe to provide additional original
songs. The result is a stonking riot of a musical which has taken the West End
by storm and has made a star of leading man Charlie Stemp.
HG Wells’ original story was a semi autobiographical tale of
his early beginnings in a haberdashery store.
This musical version takes that humble beginning and turns
it into a sweet love story and a cautionary tale of the dangers of letting
money turn your head.
On a warm Wednesday matinee the understudy, Sam O’Rourke,
took the lead role of Arthur Kipps and made it his own. A fine singing voice
was complimented by energetic dancing and a great stab at playing the banjo.
This is a visual treat for the eyes as the cast swap costumes at the speed of
light and the scenery twirls around as locations change form the fabric store
to the bar to the various homes all in a twinkling of the eye. Add to this the
beautiful back projections that conjure up sun, sea and scenery along the Kent
coast. All of this set in the beautiful Matcham designed Noel Coward Theatre in
London’s West End.
This show is the perfect show to take your children and
grandparents to, and anyone else in-between who appreciates lavish musical
theatre.
Full details to book tickets on www.halfasixpence.co.uk
Review by: Paul Towers, 29/8/17
Half A Sixpence
Charlie Stemp
Noel Coward Theatre,London
It is rare that I want to revisit a production so soon after
my original viewing but being given the opportunity the return to the West End’s
Noel Coward Theatre to see Charlie Stemp in the lead role during the very last
week of the show’s London run was too good to miss.
Watching Stemp I felt I was witnessing the birth of a new
musical theatre star. His balletic dancing skills perfectly compliment his
comic timing and characterful singing voice. The perfect triple threat.
I had no complaints when I saw the understudy go on a couple
of months ago but Stemp has made the role his own looking and sounding like a
young Tommy Steele (the creator of the original role) but even more talented.
His energy seems to catapult the rest of the cast into even
more energetic performances, leaving them all dripping with sweat by the end of
the night. This boy will go far and I can’t wait to see where he goes next.
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